Posts from the Career Coaching Category
7 Career Development Strategies You Should Be Doing Now!
June 8th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
Whether you have been in a great career position for over ten years or you are looking for a new job…..you need to make sure career development becomes a habit. I will highlight seven key strategies that I focus on with both my leadership and career coaching clients.
You can assess from a one to ten how your presently are doing on these strategies and then you will know where to focus your energy. The first strategy to focus on is social media. At a minimum, the site I would like to see you focus your energy on is Linked In. I have dozens of stories on how clients have landed great interviews and even job offers from managing their Linked In site professionally. The strategy I recommend is to either spend five minutes on Linked In a day or 30 minutes once a week. I cannot emphasize enough that you should know everyone you connect with and feel that they have integrity and a good work ethic. This will assist you to keep your Linked In operating in a very professional manner. To develop a free profile go to www.LinkedIn.com.
The second strategy I want you to focus on monthly is tracking your achievements! How often it is time for your performance review or time to update your resume and you are completely overwhelmed trying to remember your specific accomplishments! Once a month schedule 30 minutes where you record three achievements for the month. If you have three months in a row where you realize you do not have anything to record that is a clue that you need to get involved in more challenging projects.
Professional development is the third strategy. When was the last time you took a training or teleseminar to develop a competency? We get so caught up in the craziness of our job that we forget how important it is to develop ourselves. Focusing on professional development is going to keep you up to date and recharged. There are lots of free one hour teleseminars and webinars that you can get involved in without leaving your office. What will you be doing this quarter for this strategy?
Do you have a mentor or are you involved in a worthwhile professional organization? Strategy four is getting extra support from getting involved with a mentor or professional organization. The goal of having a mentor is that you have someone that is not your boss who you can trust to get career insights and feedback. Sometimes individuals are in situations where having a mentor does not work. Plan B is to join a professional organization in your career area to keep up to date with the latest trends in your field. I belong to two national coaching organizations and it has provided me with incredible resources that I share with clients on a daily basis.
Strategy five is asking for feedback. Do not wait for your annual review. You want your employer to see how motivated you are and that you are open for both positive and negative feedback. Even if you are an entrepreneur, ask for feedback from your customers. How can we improve if we do not get feedback?
Do you know your brand? Strategy six is to focus on your personal brand. What makes you different from your colleagues? If you have never done work in this area, a great resource to use is a Career Distinction by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson. .
Strategy seven is improving your resiliency. It does not matter what kind of career environment you work in. Workplaces are busier with fewer resources. You need to be able to function at 100% capacity and have the energy to do it! I often ask my coaching clients what they are doing to recharge themselves. We really need to think about our energy like a battery. How do we recharge? I want you to list three ways you recharge yourself during the week.
Your Lifetime Career Development: 7 Strategies for Success
April 15th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
I will be offering a free one hour teleseminar on May 12th at 12:00 noon ET on “Your Lifetime Career Development: 7 Strategies for Success”. It is a free preview to an exciting new teleseminar class, that I will be teaching beginning in June called “Get the Job Now! Learn Job Search Strategies That Work!”
Beth
Explore Your Best Life
February 8th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
As a Career and Leadership Coach I learn a lot from my clients. Many of my clients last year were dealing with major changes. Many lost jobs they had for over 15 years and really did not think they were going to be in this transition. This transition gave them an opportunity to think about what they really wanted for their life. What does it mean to explore your best life? Simply put it means to tweak what we are doing to have more happiness! My honest clients tell me there is definitely no shortage of negative stress these days. We need to make choices that are going to energize us and keep us enjoying every day instead of feeling like we are on some hamster wheel getting nowhere.
In my own life – 2009 had some major career changes which allowed me to develop my business in different and exciting ways! I am completely recharged and have the energy that I need and want to drive my clients to their success! One small change I made was to sign up for an exercise morning boot camp. This change has provided me with such a recharge and has had a positive impact on my life and career.
William Bridges, a famous change expert has a model to explain how we deal with change. We all go through three key phases. The first one is the ending phase when we really have to say it is over. The second phase is the neutral zone. This is when we wake up and feel like our life is just a bunch of chaos. This is usually when I get a call from a client who needs some assistance. If we do not get the support we need in the neutral zone we cannot make it to the new beginning phase. The new beginning phase is when we can really focus, make good choices and explore our best life!
On March 18th I will be holding a 5 week teleseries ” Find Your Best Life”. To read more about it click here.
I am also holding a preview on February 23rd and hope you will join me.
Beth
Spark Success in 2010
December 23rd, 2009 by Beth Kennedy
Are you ready to overcome the barriers that are preventing you from achieving true success in your personal and professional life?
Let me show you:
* How to market yourself, know what your skills are and how to go about developing a job search strategy during challenging economic times
* How to create a vision of your own success in any economic environment so that you can set goals that lead to greater happiness and more energy
* How you can dramatically increase the chances for your success by taking the ideas and insights from this audio conference and using them to formulate your own unique personal action plan
The Career Empowerment Summit Recharge 2009
November 14th, 2009 by Beth Kennedy
Besides having an opportunity to network and get recharged with MIckey and Minnie Mouse, I had the opportunity to attend the Career Empowerment Summit in Orlando this October. This Conference was hosted by Career Directors International. An association that I belong to which focuses on providing coaches with the latest tools, trends and technologies for success! This conference focused on empowering coaches to assist clients thrive in any economy. My clients know that I take professional development as a coach very seriously and know this is a key benefit I bring to my practice.There were many great takeaways from the conference but I chose three to focus on for this article. Social networking is important but you need to know how to have it make the best impact for your career, federal jobs will be increasing but you need to be savvy to understand the complexity of applying, and companies that are providing the flexibility that employees want are going to have a better chance at retaining key employees.
The number one career question of 2009 is, how well are you managing your Linked In profile? The two key areas are the Summary & Experience. In your Summary you should write in the first person and in short paragraphs or bullet points. Hit the highlights and keep it interesting! In your Linked In Experience section do not include everything from your resume. Write 1-3 sentences highlighting some key achievements. If your new to Linked In and need some more information our presenter Jason Alba is a great resource. Check out this website www.LInkedInForJobSeekers.com.
As we know the competition for more traditional jobs are becoming more and more competitive. Individuals really need to have a multifaceted job search and think outside the box. Exploring Federal jobs may be an option for some. Federal agencies fill their jobs like private industries do, but the application process is more complex. Most federal job vacancies can be found at www.usajobs.opm.gov. There is even a website for Senior Leadership Positions, www.seniorleaders.gov and for college students www.studentjobs.gov. You can check out how many openings are available in your state and notice there is no shortage of federal jobs. If you need a referral to a professional resume writer that focuses on federal resumes..let me know.
My final point is that with 78% of couples in the United States being dual income earners, companies need to provide flexibility to their employees or they are going to lose their top performers. On a positive note many companies and their HR departments are realizing the strategic and economic edge that addressing work – life issues can give them in the competition to attract and keep employees. Work – life balance is not a trend that is going away. The data shows that employees, both men and women, at all levels want the flexibility to manage their needs while still meeting the needs of the organization!
Is Your Job Search Your New Full-Time Job?
October 31st, 2009 by Beth Kennedy
Has your search for work become a full time activity and you are still not getting any results? Do you think of yourself now as a ‘professional job seeker’?
A Career Coach Can Help You!
Working with a career coach you can check-in and give your coach updates on your search. Your coach will provide tips on how to get through each step of your search from a resume review to providing Interviewing skills.
Staying positive and focused is one of the toughest career challenges you face when you are in a job search and a career coach can help you do that.
To ask questions and learn how coaching would work for you, set up your complimentary telephone meeting today. Your success awaits you!
You Can Begin, And End, Each Day Satisfied, Happy And Successful.
October 24th, 2009 by Beth Kennedy
- Do you want to feel passionate about your career and personal life?
- Do you want to become unstuck and move forward with confidence?
- Do you want to have more self confidence?
You Do Have A Choice!
Are you read to Spark Success? Click here.
Effective Job Networking Tips
October 10th, 2009 by Beth Kennedy
Networking is not just a one step process. It is something you should continue to do all the time. To create a trusting relationship.
Make sure you are ready and energized when you go to events to network. Think positively!
Find out more tips on how to efficiently and effectively network by viewing my Fox 25 TV interview.
Do you want to succeed in your career and life?
October 4th, 2009 by Beth Kennedy
If you missed my teleseminar you can still learn the top strategies that my clients have found most helpful to spark success.
You will learn:
1. How to improve happiness in your career and life!
2. How to enhance stress resiliency!
3. Learn the importance of being aware of your brand!
OR
How will you ‘Spark Success’ In Your Career?
September 26th, 2009 by Beth Kennedy
If you don’t know or are unsure then I would love
for you to attend my FREE teleseminar:
“5 Star Strategies to Spark Success in Your Career”
September 30, 2009
8:00 PM Eastern, 5:00 PM Pacific
You will learn:
1. Improved happiness in your career and life!
2. Enhanced stress resiliency!
3. Learn the importance of being aware of your brand!
Read more here:
http://www.bethkennedy.com/resources.html
I hope to see you on the call!
Beth